kids: misha & puff fall 2017

the misha and puff fall 2017 collection is out today! i’ve been a fan of the brand since before i even had kids, so it’s especially fun for me now that i have two little ones to dress. i usually pick out a few things each season, but the hardest part is trying to decide what to get! everything is so adorable, i wish i could just buy it all! i think the standouts from this collection are the sweaters and rompers fashioned after quilt squares. and of course the ruffle collars are adorable. but you can never go wrong with their classic popcorn sweater.

shop the new misha and puff here!

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the frame

you may remember a few weeks back, we started the process of redecorating our living room. the whole space got a fresh coat of paint and i started simple with a fireplace makeover. but one thing i forgot to mention is that we completely removed our old television from above the mantle because we just couldn’t figure out a way to make it work in our tiny living room. don’t get me wrong, i like to watch tv as much as the next person, but i don’t really like the way it takes up so much space and has a tendency to become this dominating presence in the room. add in the fact that we don’t have a ton of wall space– and tastefully decorating a functional living room for the family has become a really tricky endeavor.

enter samsung’s latest collaboration with designer yves béhar– the frame. we received this innovative new tv in collaboration with samsung, and i didn’t even know what i was missing before it arrived! you may remember that previously, this wall served as a sort of makeshift foyer (see here and here). our current patio/mudroom is out of commission due to renovations (which is an entirely different story that i’ll have to save for another day!), so we’ve been sacrificing a big part of our living room as a place to store our shoes and drop off the mail. it was cutting the room in half and was creating a lot of wasted space in an already cramped area of the house. after changing things up, i can honestly say that without the frame, there is literally no other way we could have made a television work in here so gracefully.

true to it’s slogan, it is literally the most beautiful tv you’ve never seen. if i hadn’t taken these photos myself, at first glance, i don’t even think i would have known it was a television. the beauty is in the super sleek design coupled with the no gap wall mount so that it hangs flush with the wall alongside all of your favorite framed photos or artwork. the invisible connection is virtually undetectable and eliminates the usual mess of cables so that it truly looks like framed art on display. when you’re not watching your favorite shows, you can leave it in ‘art mode,’ allowing you to select your favorite art from a gallery of 100 professionally curated pieces of art. or you can upload your favorite family photos, it’s up to you. if the black frame isn’t your thing, you can also customize it with three additional bezel options in light wood, walnut, or white metal.

the design is really what sold me because it’s allowed me to ‘hide’ the television in plain view and put it in a place that helps to keep the living room cohesive and functional at the same time, which has totally opened up the possibilities when it comes to the rest of the decor as we continue working on the space. but if you’re more into the technical specs, then you’ll be impressed to know that it is a 4k hdpro tv with four times more pixels than full hd. and it’s no small thing coming in both 55″ and 65″ sizes. it’s like having an art gallery and a secret home theater all wrapped up into one tiny living room. who knew a tv could do so much?

go check out the frame for yourself!

other details: framebridge frames, vintage rocking chair found on apartment therapy marketplace, cb2 stax shelf, monroe workshop toy elephant, vintage baskets, good thing mini container in forest, manhattan toy skwish, areaware balancing blocks, vintage throw pillows, kosas home indoor/outdoor rug (sold out, but this one is similar)






this post was created in collaboration with samsung.

 

 

 

 

 

enter to win $200 to rain people!

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i am so excited to announce my latest giveaway with the canadian-based kidswear line, rain people! as i’m sure you’ve noticed by now, i’m a big fan of hats and bonnets for the kids to protect their precious little heads from the sweltering sun here in southern california. and you know how much i love a good linen textile. well, rain people has both! and they have just released their new spring/summer collection of linen clothes and bonnets, so we wanted to give you a chance to win some new clothes for your little ones!

simply visit this post on instagram and follow the directions to enter!

above, edie wears the linen ruffle harem pant and linen brimless bonnet in matching rose white.

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adam is wearing the linen cap with ties.

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edie wears the vintage floral cotton printed baby bonnet.

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brookes boswell kids giveaway!

calivintage - brookes boswell kids giveaway

springtime is here, which means it’s hat season. and i don’t think there is anything much cuter than kids in hats. brookes boswell has just released her very first children’s hat collection, and i am so excited! i’m a huge fan of her hats, and have been wanting a little mini version for adam for a while now, so this is perfect! she’s released is a well-rounded selection of wide-brimmed straw hats for summer days and wool felt toppers for cooler temperatures. and i’m basically dying over this lookbook because it is the cutest thing ever!

and in honor of the occasion, we’ve teamed up to offer you the opportunity to win one kids straw hat of your choice! the options are the nantes straw hat (my personal favorite), the packable optimo (which is ideal because it can be rolled up), and the kids boro (so you can twin because this one comes in adult sizes, too)!

to enter, simply visit my instagram and follow the directions!

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winter water factory, part two

calivintage + winter water factory

as fun as it was to wear matching outfits with edith last week, this is the real fun right here: matching siblings! since edie was born, i haven’t been able to resist getting them at least one or two matching outfits every season. i know i won’t be able to do it forever, so i’m trying to soak it up now.

adam is wearing the winter water factory t-shirt and micaela greg pants. edith is wearing the summer romper with a petite soul x winter water factory bonnet.

calivintage + winter water factory
calivintage + winter water factory
calivintage + winter water factory
calivintage + winter water factory

misha & puff spring 2017

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forever a fan of misha & puff, i had to share the photos of their new spring 2017 collection. i have loved their vintage-inspired knits since before i even thought i wanted to have kids. and now i have two of my own that i get dress up, and i always pick at least one thing from every new collection. after they grow out of their clothes, i donate most of them, but i always keep our misha & puff pieces in a little box as keepsakes because they are so special to us.

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MP-SS17_lookbook-2MP-SS17_lookbook-11 MP-SS17_lookbook-12  MP-SS17_lookbook-15

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MP-SS17_lookbook-43MP-SS17_lookbook-23    MP-SS17_lookbook-31 MP-SS17_lookbook-32

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adam turns three

calivintage - adam turns three

well, it happened. adam turned three last month! it is so hard to believe he’s such a big boy now. and as you can see, he is 100% obsessed with trucks. when i asked him what he wanted for his birthday, he said “only trucks, please.” more specifically, he’s really into monster jam, but thankfully they don’t appear to have a ton of licenced products for parties, so i was able to get away with going more generic and found a ton of really cute paper decorations from meri meri. they make the best party supplies! adam was especially pleased with the big rig cupcake stand because it has functioning wheels, so he got to play with it after we were all done.

for the cake, i just went with a boxed mix and pre-made frosting. which is especially funny because i’ve actually been to culinary school and am a certified pastry chef. oh well! adam very specifically asked for a chocolate cake with vanilla frosting and rainbow sprinkles, which is awesome because that’s the kind of cake i’ve made for him since his first birthday. i think i see a tradition emerging…

anyway, decorations aside, it was a really wonderful day! the clouds and rain parted for one day only, so we were able to celebrate outside in warm, sunny weather before retreating indoors for the rest of the week. and it was the first time we got to enjoy our newly constructed pergola, which is a total game-changer. now we can have all sorts of parties out there! now if only i could find some furnishings for it…

meri meri truck-themed cupcake stand, napkins, party hats, truck garland, confetti balloon kit
martha stewart paper flowers
miss jones organic cake mix and frosting 
eucalyptus from my mom’s tree
stokke tripp trapp high chairs

calivintage - adam turns three
calivintage - adam turns three
calivintage - adam turns three
calivintage - adam turns three
calivintage - adam turns three
calivintage - adam turns three
calivintage - adam turns three
calivintage - adam turns three
calivintage - adam turns three
calivintage - adam turns three

adam is wearing:
janie and jack chambray shirt
go gently striped t-shirt
appaman skinny corduroy pants
converse high tops

edie is wearing:
petit soul x winter water factory bonnet
winter water factory onesie
belle and the bear t-straps

outfit: winter water factory spring 2017

calivintage + winter water factory

whoa how did that happen? it’s suddenly spring around these parts! since moving back to southern california, i’m still surprised by how quickly the cool weather fades away and we get right back into warmer days. and of course it was the perfect opportunity for us to slip into our new winter water factory spring 2017 clothes. it’s funny, i used to make a lot of jokes about my matching “motherboy” outfits with adam, but i think this is the first time i’ve worn a matching outfit with ed! of course, she steals the show in her tiny summer romper. but if you’re a fan of their iconic kid’s prints, then you will be happy to know that they recently started making women’s sizes, too. i’m wearing one of their newest t-shirt dress prints that just came out today, but they also have several other dress styles and prints to choose from as well. what’s more, all of their clothes are certified organic cotton and made in the usa.

shop winterwater factory here. or get edie’s adorable petite soul ladybug bonnet here.

calivintage + winter water factory
calivintage + winter water factory
calivintage + winter water factory
calivintage + winter water factory
calivintage + winter water factory

cloth diapering (some of the time)

calivintage - cloth diapering

first things first! i know that cloth diapering isn’t for everyone. having had two babies, i’m well aware of the multitude of barriers that keep people from doing it. before having kids, i really thought i’d be one of those crunchy mamas with babies in cloth diapers. my mom cloth diapered me and my siblings, so i kinda just assumed i would do it, too. but as adam’s birth drew closer, i just didn’t take the plunge. i was worried that just taking care of him would be enough work. i was already overwhelmed and i didn’t want to add to the stress i was experiencing. i lived in an apartment without a washing machine. then, after he was born, i gave it half-hearted try, and of course, it didn’t work out. i thought maybe i’d eventually try again, but before i knew it, he was out of diapers.

then edie was born. i stocked up on our “eco-friendly” disposable diapers and water wipes, and didn’t even consider cloth. i did all of the other eco-conscious things with her like i did with adam. exclusive breastfeeding, babywearing, avoiding plastic, using organic textiles and products, wood toys, all that crunchy stuff. but i didn’t try cloth diapers. until i started chatting with a local friend who recently launched squeaky cheeky, a new cloth diapering service here in town. i had never heard of such a thing before, and it sparked a little glimmer of hope for us. i was especially intrigued because it was the perfect way for me to give it honest-to-goodness try without sinking-in all of the up-front costs of buying a ton of inserts, covers, supplies, etc. that’s a huge barrier because the up-front cost is kind of high when you don’t even know if it will work out for you!

the way the service works, you pay a monthly fee (similar to that of an eco-friendly monthly disposable subscription) and all of the supplies are dropped off at your doorstep. in our case, we got prefolds, covers, snappis, and cloth wipes. then each week, you leave the bag of dirty laundry out on your doorstep and they swap them out for clean supplies. we tried it for a month to see how it would go, and the verdict is in: we’re now officially cloth diapering part-time.

what we learned right off the bat, is that we couldn’t go full-time because we have too many caregivers helping with edie. that’s great for me, but not so great for cloth diapering. not everyone is comfortable learning how to use them, and you certainly can’t send a baby to most daycares in cloth diapers. so we’re using cloth diapers during the hours when i’m watching her, but we use disposables when she’s being watched by someone else. edie also sleeps through the night, and i can’t stand the idea of waking her just to clean-up a diaper, so we’re using overnight disposables so she can stay comfortable and dry without being disturbed.

another thing i learned is that i’m terrible at using pre-folds. i know with time, you get better. but there are also other options. we got to try out an all-in-one diaper, and i really like that you can pretty much change them just like you would a disposable diaper. they’re a little bit more expensive than pre-folds, but they work for us. on the flip side, i’ve now switched over to cloth wipes! i didn’t even know that they existed before, but i like them so much better. for those who aren’t familiar with how they work, you use water or bum spray first, then wipe things up with the dry cloth. wet wipes are awesome for cleaning up dirty hands and faces, or picking up small messes around the house, but i know adam hates them because they’re cold. and those wipe warmers are notorious for getting moldy and gross. so this is the perfect option if you’re ok with a bit of (admittedly gross) extra laundry.

as far as the service, i’m no longer using it because i’m able to handle the extra laundry, but i think it’s a really great option for households who want to go green, but don’t have a washing machine. and it’s an especially great gift for a new family who is on the fence about cloth diapering because it gives them a chance to try it out without making any up-front investment. i know it was a great learning experience for me.

calivintage - cloth diapering
our top drawer set-up. prefolds with bum spray and clippis, covers, cloth wipes.

calivintage - cloth diapering
don’t worry, we lowered her crib right after taking these photos! she was 6 months in this photos, so she had literally just started standing on her own.

calivintage - cloth diapering
calivintage - cloth diapering
calivintage = cloth diapering
the supplies arrive in this laundry bag, and the service provides a laundry bin for the nursery.

calivintage - cloth diapering

outfit: the baby backpack

calivintage + leader bag co.

remember in the ’90s when baby backpacks were all the rage? well, today i’m talking about a different kind of baby backpack. because i’ve got two babies now, and a teensy tiny backpack will no longer cut it. now i carry a backpack full of diapers, and it’s huge and fully loaded (the backpack, not the diapers– hopefully). since becoming a mother and accepting that i will indeed need to carry a diaper bag, it’s been really hard for me to find something that is both fashionable and functional. thankfully, there are a lot more brands understanding that not all parents want to carry around a puffy bag covered in cartoon characters. i mean, it’s cool if you want to, but i prefer something a bit less conspicuous.

so when i came across leader bag co., it was love at first sight. it’s my holy grail of diaper bags. and not just because it’s good looking, although that certainly helps. it was also designed by two mothers who are well aware of the organizational needs that one might have when lugging around a bag filled with baby stuff. before i got this handsome backpack, i carried around a fjallraven, which was awesome, but sorely lacking in all of the little compartments i needed to contain various diapers, wipes, toys, pacifiers, coloring books, snacks, bottles, etc. this one has tons of useful compartments, plus it’s handmade in new york city with soft leather accents and a durable cotton canvas body with a wipeable nylon interior and brass hardware. swoon. it also has padded shoulder straps and comes with two leather stroller straps. inside, there is a separate pouch that doubles as a cross-body handbag, and contains a nylon changing mat.

it’s so good looking, in fact, that even brendan is willing to carry it around. and i know some people may balk at the price tag, and i totally get that not everyone is willing or able to spend that much on a diaper bag. luckily, i also wrote this quick guide to finding a cute diaper bag, which has several more options that might suit your needs! and a little birdy told me that they will also be coming out with an all canvas style in tons of fun colors (think mustard, blues, purple) in mid to late february! so keep an eye out for those, too!

wearing:
colorant cashmere sweater
rachel comey slim legion pants
maryam nassir zadeh roberta heels
steven alan bryce sunglasses (in peach crystal, coming soon!)
young frankk orb cuff
leader bag julian julien set in natural

calivintage + leader bag co.
calivintage + leader bag co.
calivintage + leader bag co.
calivintage + leader bag co.
calivintage + leader bag co.